


Thoughts

by TheRookBook



Series: The Rookie (Tumblr Request) [4]
Category: The Rookie (TV 2018)
Genre: Pre-Relationship, post training
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-20
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:40:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23233363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRookBook/pseuds/TheRookBook
Summary: Lucy has some thoughts about what she really wants in her life or better yet...who she wants in her life.
Relationships: Tim Bradford/Lucy Chen
Series: The Rookie (Tumblr Request) [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1663039
Comments: 2
Kudos: 80





	Thoughts

**Author's Note:**

> Aye! Thanks for reading! This was a request from Tumblr. Just a little short something for today. Comment and let me know what you think! 
> 
> Join me on Tumblr @TheRookieBook!

It seemed that every guy she dated; they couldn't understand how she operated. They did not take the time to get to know Lucy Chen, they only wanted to talk about themselves in one way or another. She finds herself comparing everyone she meets to him and they always fall short. Lucy does not mean for it to happen; it just does before she can stop it.   
  
She met Owen a couple of months ago after everything happened. At first, he was what she thought she was looking for in a guy. He was caring. He loved dogs. He would surprise her with little things. He would listen to her as she rambled about the job and how her day was, but that was in the beginning.   
  
After a while, she noticed how things had shifted. Now, he doesn't listen to her, he just interrupts her every time she tries to say something. After a couple of months together, he still doesn't know what she likes to eat. It's always business talk, never something enjoyable. They barely were around each other except during their one dinner date a week and he was on the phone most of the time. Hell, he still does not know how she likes her coffee.   
  
"Here," Tim says sliding into the shop handing her a white bag and cup of coffee. "You look like shit."   
  
"Thanks," she says confused looking over at him beside her. "That's just what every woman wants to hear first thing in the morning," she retorted a false smile on her face.   
  
A teasing grin swept across his face. "You're welcome. Do you want it or not?"   
  
Lucy took the small bag and the steaming cup from his hands. "Thanks," she said softly. Opening the bag, the smell of a freshly baked muffin filled her senses. "Banana nut," she said surprised looking over at him. "How did you know?"   
  
He just gave her a classic Bradford look. "Please. I know you like the back of my hand," he said teasingly.   
  
"Who would have thought that Tim Bradford enjoyed freshly-baked muffins," she badgered.   
  
"Does that surprise you," he asked raising his brows looking at her.   
  
"With all due respect sir, you surprise me every day." Lucy saw the faint hint of a smile cross his face as he turned away from her.   
  
"What's on your mind?"   
  
"Nothing. Doesn't matter anyway," she said giving him a reassuring grin looking over at him.   
  
Tim cut his eyes back over towards her. "If it's got you tore up then it's something."   
  
"I am not tore up," she defended. "It's not something you need to worry about."   
  
Tim had to catch himself. He wanted to tell her how he wanted to worry about her. Hell, he already did. Especially since she wasn't his rookie anymore. Deep down he knew that Lucy was going to be fine. She had him as a TO, but something about sending your rookie out there after spending over a year together was never easy, especially when said rookie weaseled her way passed on the barriers you put up. They still rode together occasionally while he waited for a sergeant position to open. Most of the time she rode with Jackson, but he was able to steal her away from him a couple of times a month.   
  
Instead, he didn't say a word. He just nodded and put the car in reverse as they headed out for their shift. It was not a bad shift. Lucy enjoyed riding with her former training officer. It was a slow day. A couple of arrests for warrants and possession. She knew Tim didn't like these days. He liked being busy because it took his mind off of everything else.   
  
She couldn't help but think about all the time they used to spend together, sitting side by side on patrol for over a year. At times she would ramble on and on about various things, while he just focused on driving keeping his stare locked out the windshield. Then after shift, he would stop her on the way out of the station to make sure that she was okay.   
  
He knows her order from her favorite restaurant like the back of his hand. She learned that when she woke up in the hospital and he was right there beside her looking like he hadn't slept at all. _You know me so well. Too well._  
  
He would talk to her about football, work, life, their hobbies. Towards the end of her training, she began to notice how he was more open about things than in the beginning. They had actual conversations, instead of him just telling her how she wrong about something or how she needed to do something.   
  
Then there were the days that he would surprise her with a cup of coffee just the way she liked it, much like today. The first time it happened, she just raised her brow at him. "What," he asked confused by her look. "It's not going to hurt you."   
  
Slowly, he got to where he would invite everyone out for a drink including the rookies. He still never strayed far from Lucy. He always kept her in his eyesight. She wanted to think it was because he was being protective after everything that happened, but something told her it wasn't entirely that.   
  
Lucy had to shake the thought from her mind. There was no way she could develop feelings for him. He could get the call any day and the next he would be off to a different station. Then she wouldn't have to see him every day.   
  
Lucy was walking out of the station after shift with West and Nolan. They were talking about how slow the day had been and it felt like it would never end. "Chen," she heard from behind her.   
  
"Bradford," she said with a teasing grin as she turned towards him. She saw a twitch in his face and he almost smiled before masking it.   
  
"There are some things that you can and can't control. Don't worry about it if you can't control it because it just adds more stress that just adds to what you already have. If it's something you can control, then change it before you can't anymore."   
  
"Thanks," she says softly adverting her eyes from his. She could feel her cheeks starting to turn slightly pink.   
  
Tim ducks his head. "You're welcome. Have a goodnight," he says gently as he walks past them and towards the station door.   
  
"What was that about," Jackson asks as they all watch Tim leave the station. He turns towards Lucy beside him, whose eyes are still locked on the door her just walked through.   
  
"I think I need to break up with Owen." Lucy knew she was in trouble. Just how far would she let herself fall before she went after what she really wanted. 


End file.
